> > On Tue, 3 May 1994, SARKHORI wrote: > > > is there any kind of copyright laws that prevent a mud from using ideas > > from books? For instance, if I wanted to make a section of middle earth > > based on _The Hobbit_ , can anyone sue me for copyright laws? any input > > would be appreciated. > > Yah, I would like to know that too. I mean, we're not making a profit > off of it so why should it matter? I know the Tolkien estate has stated that they do not wish the works to be portrayed on muds. Weather or not they have a legal case should be irrelevant. The point I'd like to make here is that as an area author, you should try to come up with new background stories and ideas rather than building upon someone elses fame. There are ways that such themes can be very tastefully done, however. For example, "Hobbit" may be a copyrighted word, but "halfling" is not. If you want to see a very nice example of what can be done, come look at what we at Kallisti replaced "the Shire" with. mud.csos.orst.edu 4000, just ask directions to Hillsborough. -Eric
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